Thanks catbird.

When I decided that I no longer wanted to eat meat, I adjusted my family gradually.  First, it helps if you can get others in the mindset that the meat you are using is a condiment, not the main focus of the meal.  For example, if you are making a pot of spaghetti with sauce, make the sauce without meat and cook up a little sausage or whatever on the side for those who insist on meat at that point.  Also, make a commitment to one meat-free meal per week, and experiment with recipes.  You could then increase to two, three, finally meat is served only on special occasions.  Then you can just stop it altogether.

Protein is always the big question raised by non-vegetarians.  "How do you get enough protein?"  People who were raised eating meat have IMO been brainwashed into believing that they need far more protein in their diets than they really do.

For beginners who want to try meatless meals, I recommend the cookbook Vegetarian 5-Ingredient Gourmet by Nava Atlas.
http://www.amazon.com/Vegetarian-5-Ingredient-Gourmet-Nava-Atlas/dp/076790690X/ref=cm_lmf_tit_3_rsrsrs0

(You don't need to buy it from Amazon, but it was easy to grab the link from there.)  This book has many very yummy, very easy recipes to experiment with.  Some are vegan also.

Wow, menu ideas already.  Thank you, catbird and kittylyda.

I think I'm already starting in this direction.  Already prepare meatless meals at least 3 times a week.  I do make my sauce without meat, making a separate pot of sauce with meatballs when I do use meat.   I make a conscious effort to choose products not tested on animals.  Found dog shampoo that says "tested on humans".  I like the idea of creating your own version of vegetarianism.  Can't see myself giving up dairy and eggs.  Don't wear fur, but do wear leather.  Biggest challenge would be getting the family off meat.  It sure must be difficult to find products without animal ingredients.  Never liked meat even as a child.

Do you use a lot of beans?  I like beans.

I love vegetarian meals, too.  When I lived in the South, you could get restaurant combo meals with your choice of 3-4 delicious southern specialties and put together a balanced meal of okra, red beans or black-eyed peas, greens, yellow squash, etc.  Yummy!

Last night I made one of my vegetarian, (vegan if you don't add cheese), easy meals.  Organic beans in pasta sauce over artichoke pasta. (Organic...get it all on sale and stock up.)  Then some mixed steamed veggies on the side.  (Some organic)  For dessert we had the leftover organic canned pumpkin that Poco had.  I added organic blackstrap molasses and spices.  Not bad for a vegan pudding.

Last night I used canned beans, but have been getting back to using soaked dried beans.  (Inspired by an Itchmo post.)  Took awhile, but I am remembering to get my beans soaking the night before.  Tonight I have organic black-eyed peas soaking.  One of my favorites cooked with garlic and bay leaves.  I leave the onions and salt out of the main batch so I can share with Poco.  He LOVES beans and a holistic vet said a small amount are good for him.  Most are very high in antioxidants.  It's easy to cook beans like this.  You just have to be around the house for an hour during the cooking period.  I make enough to freeze some, or have later in week.  (And always save some for Poco.)

There is a great co-op about 60 miles from here in Port Townsend that we discovered on an outing.  Even though it was late, I stocked up on staples.  Their organic bean and pea supply is astounding.  And the local vegetables were to die for.  They had not just organic white cauliflower, but bright pink/purple, orange and a green variety.  My husband had to chase me out of the store!

No food photos, but here are a couple from what evolved into a vegetarian meal shopping trip.

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I LOVE beans!  I do use a lot of beans in my cooking.  One of my favorite things to make when the weather turns cold is veggie 4 bean chili!  It's very good, but watch out afterwards with all those beans!  It will be tough to post a recipe since I made this up and I do it all by taste but I will give it a shot.  The great thing about this is you can cook it all in one large pot--easy clean up!

In a large pot, saute 1 medium to large onion chopped, 1-2 cloves fresh garlic, and the equivilant of about 1 & 1/2 bell peppers in oil.  I like to use a combination of green, yellow, red.  If you like really spicy food you can try a small jalapeno or something as well. When the onions become soft add 1 or 2 large carrots cut into rounds.  When they become a little soft 1-2 cups sliced mushrooms.  You can also add other veggies at this time like zucchini, corn, whatever you want. (I like corn a lot in the chili, at least 1 cup of organic frozen corn kernals).

When all the veggies are sauteed it's time for your beans.  I use canned organic beans, but you could pre-soak the dried kind and have them all ready to go if you prefer.  I use at least 1 cup of alll of the following:
Kidney, pinto, black, garbanzo  and I add more of the beans that I like best to taste.  I'm a big fan of the garbanzo.  Let the beans cook a bit and soften up, stir often.  Then add 2  15 oz cans of stewed tomatos and 2  15 oz cans of tomato sauce.  You can use more or less tomatos or sauce to make it soupy or thicker, depending on how many beans and veggies you added.  You can always have a can of tomato paste on hand to thicken it up or more sauce to thin it out.

Now it's time to added your spices and this is totally to your taste.  Chili powder of course.  Just added it until it tastes good to you.  I also use some cumin and ground cayenne pepper.  Go easy on the cayenne, it will make it very hot very quickly! I throw in some tabasco as well.  It's great if you like spicy food.  You can add some of the spices to the veggies as they saute too if you like. Then simmer on low to medium heat for oh, 40 minutes or so.  When it tastes good, it's done.  I like to keep extra chopped raw onions out and I throw them in at various points in the cooking process.

Serve hot w/optional toppings: raw onions, sliced black olives, shredded cheese or sour cream if you are not vegan.  Also great to serve with corn bread, rice or blue corn chips.

If anyone makes this I hope it turns out--like I said since I do it all by taste it was difficult to come up with exact amounts of ingredients.  It's never the same chili twice for me, I experiment a lot.

~kittylyda

catbird,
Thanks for the tip on the BBQ sauce.  I may have tried that in the past but I don't remember!  "Guess & Toss" is a great way to put it.  I love that method of cooking--I use it almost exclusively! 

Maybe we can start posting some veggie Thanksgiving options for our Itchmo friends.  I tried the "Tofurkey" one year and was not crazy about it for the $25 or whatever you pay for it at Whole Foods!

Great idea, kittylyda!  Tofurkey was a thumbs-down at our house, too.  I'll look up a few of my favorites for fall/winter holidays.  I have one for a fall vegetable lasagne with gruyere cheese and bechamel sauce instead of tomato sauce that is so good it almost makes you cry.  Takes a whole day to make, but is worth it for special occasions.  No one at our house ever cared much about the turkey anyway (except one cat).

straybaby, I always use organic canned tomato products.  They taste so much better, and don't cost a lot more.  I buy them by the case so I always have some for those quick "inspirations".